Having a blast: Booms coming soon at Montgomery community center construction site

MONTGOMERY TWP — If you’re driving in the area of Stump and Horsham roads this week and notice an unusual set of sounds or sights, don’t worry.

Blasting is slated to take place this week on the future site of Montgomery Township’s community and recreation center, so be wary of any unusual sudden sounds or sights in that area.

“We don’t have any specific dates or times yet, but all of the residents in the area have been notified, traffic will be stopped, and they’ve lined it up as a series of smaller blasts - you won’t see one huge one,” said township Manager Lawrence Gregan.

Contractors working on that project have reached the point where they need to level parts of the site, Gregan told the township supervisors Monday night, and with the necessary permits and approvals obtained from state agencies that monitor such work, weather permitting they should start their terraforming efforts later this week. Anyone in the vicinity should notice more sound and air moving than ground shaking, he said, and township staff in the nearby administration building may hear and feel nothing more than they typically do when blasting is done at nearby quarries on Bethlehem Pike.

Contractors on the community center project “were out there today digging lines, drilling holes, getting set with their charges, and we’re excited to see the project moving forward,” Gregan said on Monday night.

Another component of the community center project will be an outdoor playground and spray park accessible to children and those with disabilities, which will be partially funded by a $250,000 state grant. Gregan told the board that staff and the community center construction team are now ready to move ahead with design work on that playground, and are estimating a total construction cost between $600,000 and $650,000 - “We’re looking for other opportunities” to obtain grants and otherwise raise money, he said.

Township engineering consultants Gilmore & Associates have prepared a professional services proposal to perform the engineering services related to that project, for a total not to exceed $45,000: $30,000 for site design, $6,000 to see the project through the bid phase and $9,000 for the construction phase, Gregan told the board.

“This is one aspect of the community center that people are really enthusiastic about,” said supervisor Michael Fox, board liaison to the Parks advisor board which suggested the accessible playground.

“I am in full support of moving ahead with Gilmore and getting this all done at the same time. It’s a great addition, and going to be a great attribute of the community center,” he said.

Montgomery Township’s supervisors next meet at 8 p.m. on July 28 at the township administration building, 1001 Stump Road. For more information or meeting agendas and materials visit www.MontgomeryTwp.org or follow @Monttwp on Twitter.